Kelly Sweet - Raincoat

Hear The Track Here

I'm usually real good about sticking to my own rules about reviewing, that's why I started the monthly signup thing in the first place. However, once in a while I have to step out of that 'first come, first served' (Ed: sure you don't mean first abused?) mindset because I've heard something that I feel duty bound to bring to your attention. Kelly Sweet and her Raincoat are that certain something. You know me, I'm a fairly level headed kinda guy when it comes to me musical taste - that's why so many of you read this right? So, it would have to be a bit special for me to stretch all the way out here to bring this to your notice... As the used car salesman said 'would I steer you wrong??'

Actually, it would probably be best not to answer that.

Like a lot of good tracks I hear outside of the review process, Kelly Sweet - an 18 year old singer from LA California - was brought to my attention by the Godfather of the Indies, Mike-K who played it on his Saturday Night Rocks show this week. T'ain't often I get totally blown away by a track (especially a listen only jobbie) but believe me this is soooo worth it. My first thought - being an incorrigible old lecher - was did she look as sweet as she sounded, and she does, but that still doesn't detract (nor should it) from the absolutely superlative job she makes of Raincoat; three minutes and fifty seconds of unbelieveable ear massage. Don't take my word for it, click on the Hi Fi stream link and grab an earful while you are ploughing through this verbal thicket.

Raincoat is a track from the We Are One CD and you can hear a great many of the tracks on Kelly's own site at http://www.kelly-sweet.com/, and I do recommend you get a listen to We Are One. The comment came up in the SNR chatroom that Kelly sounded as good as Norah Jones, but I beg to differ - she's a lot silkier, smoother. What really impresses though - more than the high class of musical performance and production - is Kelly's incredible vocal control; teasing, swooping, caressing. Sweet's the name and sweets the tone and style and I for one wouldn't want it any other way. Raincoat is a wonderful track AND it's a ballad which should tell you something about why I rate it so highly because I normally can't abide 'em.

Absolute MUST HAVE. Ear treats for everyone.